Dalai Lama nephew killed by SUV

Jigme Norbu, a nephew of the Dalai Lama, was killed during a Valentine’s Day “Walk for Tibet” after he was struck by an SUV near St. Augustine, Florida last night.

Norbu was on a 300 mile walk from St Augustine to West Palm Beach to raise awareness about Tibet when Keith O’Dell of Palm Coast drove his 2001 Kia Sportage into him. Norbu was apparently walking against traffic on the fog line on Highway A1A. According to news reports, charged have not been filed against the driver. Norbu was killed about a half mile from where cyclist Austin McElroy was killed last September.

Florida is the deadliest state in the nation for pedestrians and cyclists, with 11.1% of pedestrian fatalities nationwide occurring in the Sunshine State. Florida claims a whopping 17.4% of nationwide cyclist fatalities. Florida makes up about 6% of the U.S. population.

In 2009, Norbu walked from Indianapolis to New York City for Tibetan awareness, and has logged a total of 7,900 on similar walk and bike journeys.